A Study of the Elopement Prevention and Safety Training Program

During the first session, the therapist conducts a home safety evaluation. During the second visit the therapist provides the caregiver with an individualized Elopement Prevention \& Safety Plan (EPSP) based upon the results of the evaluation. The remainder of the session is spent helping caregivers make plans to implement the EPSP to reduce the risk of elopement or lessen the risk of harm to the child if they do successfully elope.

During the first session a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) of bolting is conducted to identify the motivator(s) that evoke bolting. Caregivers identify a setting that is most problematic because it contains the item/activity that most frequently serves as a motivator for elopement. In the next session, caregivers are taught to identify effective alternative reinforcers. In subsequent sessions, antecedent and consequence based strategies are employed to reduce motivation for elopement and reinforce remaining within the designated proximity of a caregiver for increasing durations.

This module employs behavioral strategies to teach a child to check in with a caregiver at frequent fixed intervals during periods of low supervision. Delivering potent reinforcement for checking in counteracts any motivation to wander. Furthermore, if the child does wander caregivers become aware of it immediately because they failed to check in. During the first session caregivers are taught to identify effective reinforcers. A vibrating alarm that can be carried in a participating child's pocket serves as a prompt to seek out a caregiver and check-in. Participants receive access to a previously identified and individualized reinforcer for checking-in with the caregiver.